Celestial Wonders
by spiritlight25
Summary: A simple trip to the Pikmin planet leads to the separation of two pilots.  Now stranded, Olimar must search for his missing co-pilot before time runs out.


How much do you guys want to bet that this story will eventually be on the hiatus list? That happens a lot with my multi-chapter stories. Regardless of that, I hope you enjoy this latest installment to the Pikmin fandom. Constructive criticism appreciated, please and thank you. Not too fond of the summary so I may change it later.**

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**Celestial Wonders**

_Chapter One_

Space. Many would consider it as the final frontier. Stars glittered beautifully in the vast seas of asteroids and galaxies. It was surely a sight to behold. Only a select few get to witness this stunning view. Those who are brave enough and bold enough to traverse the cosmos will get to appreciate this experience.

"Wow… This is amazing!" Laura, the newest member of the Hocotate Freight Company, was gazing at the scenery. She was very excited as this was her very first voyage through space.

Olimar was piloting the ship as he heard her comment with wonder. He had taken the liberty of bringing her along for the trip. It somehow reminded him of the time he had brought Louie to the Distant Planet. Sure, that was when the company was suffering from a horrendous debt but he still took the time to show the novice a thing or two. Now it was Laura's turn.

"I take it you like it."

"Yeah. So, where exactly are we headed?"

"We're going to a planet that I discovered a while back."

Laura whirled around to face her superior, eyes glimmering with fascination and interest. "You discovered a planet?"

"Actually, more like accidentally discovered it. I was on a little vacation at the time when an asteroid collided with the Dolphin."

To this day, Olimar still longed for that ship. He had spent a month retrieving the pieces and making repairs. But the second he returns home, it had been sold to repay the debt. The president could've at least let him take the valuables out of the vessel first. But no.

Olimar stared through the window of the cockpit as he navigated through the stars. As excited as he is to show Laura the planet and more specifically the Pikmin, he still felt rather uptight. He had been trying to balance between work and showing the newest employee the ropes about the company. He didn't mind being so preoccupied, but he did wish for some relaxation. Setting the ship on autopilot, he turned in his seat and stretched.

"Um, Olimar, would you like me to take over?" asked Laura.

"That's alright," he replied. "We aren't too far off from our destination anyway." He let out a yawn.

Laura hated not being able to do anything. It always bothered her to no end. When she was a young girl she would help anyone if they needed it. She used to love washing the dishes with her mother. She would be a model for her younger sister whenever she needed to do an art project. Even her older brother would ask for help on occasion. Although, he would usually have her be a guinea pig in one of his crazy antics. That sometimes drove her up the wall. Sometimes she'd bluntly tell him to go find somebody else, but he would either bribe her or put on a sad face and whimper. Laura would easily cave in and get it over with. She always cursed her good nature and wondered why she had to put with it. Her father used to tell her that he loved her caring and helping side, but Laura would sometimes disagree regardless.

She grabbed a packet of Instant Space noodles and began preparing the dish. She didn't quite grasp why Olimar was uptight, but she understood nonetheless. She was going to have the captain rest up whether he liked it or not.

The noodles were finally set. Careful not to burn herself, the cadet brought it to her captain.

"Here. I thought you'd might like something to eat."

He stared at the bowl placed in his hands, smiling at the gesture. "Thank you." He ate a spoonful and his eyes widened. Laura thought that it was due to the steaming food.

"What did you put in it?" he queried, taking note of a new taste compared to when he last had the noodles.

"Oh. I just put in a few spices for taste. My grandmother taught me. Do... do you like it?"

"This tastes much better than before, thank you."

Laura felt a slight blush on her cheeks. She wasn't so used to showing off her talents. In fact, she would often keep them hidden. She was occasionally shy to these kinds of things.

She cleared her throat. "Uh, Captain, I believe that I should take control from here, if you don't mind."

Olimar blinked at her before responding, "Do you know how to operate the ship? It's different than what you have been accustomed to."

"Well, I've been doing some training, not to mention that I've seen you and Cadet Louie on several occasions. Besides, you could use some rest."

_She does have a point,_ he thought. He got up and Laura took over the seat, somewhat rather nervously. This was going to be her first time piloting one of the company's spaceships.

"Are you sure you can handle the controls?" Olimar could sense her nervousness. However, Laura waved it off, masking it with a confident smirk.

"Don't worry, I got this."

"Alright. But if something goes wrong, don't hesitate to notify me."

Laura switched off the autopilot and proceeded to take the controls. She hoped that her training had paid off, and that she wouldn't screw up. The last thing she wanted was to cause any problems. But she had said that she would seek help if any situation were to occur. With someone as experienced as Captain Olimar, what could go wrong?

Laura quickly glanced back to said captain, a slight blush creeping up on her cheeks. She had always dreamt of flying through the cosmos ever since she was little. In fact, that was the whole reason why she chose to work for the Hocotate Freight Company in the first place. At first, she was a bit intimidated, unsure of exactly what to do. The president did give her instructions and everything else that was necessary but she still feared of screwing up in the slightest way possible. It wasn't too long until she would meet someone who'd be in the same spaceship as her in this very moment.

She suddenly caught his gaze and swiftly turned back to the controls, mentally scolding herself for staring. She couldn't help it. She had grown to admire Olimar. Not as a love interest however. She had met his family and even though she didn't want to admit it, she felt a slight tinge of jealousy. She wished for a family like his, yet sadly she hasn't found the right person. She kept those feelings hidden deep within, not wanting anyone to give her any pity. She hated when people are like that.

Her relationship with him was more of one between a mentor and their pupil. She looked up to Olimar for any advice. Sure, Louie would try to help but he didn't always quite understand her situation. To her, he was a bit of a comedic type. She did like how he'd cheer her up, especially with his cooking.

Laura gazed at the stars as she steadied the ship. The soft rumble of her stomach alerted her out of the blue. She set up the autopilot, deciding to whip up some Instant Space Noodles for herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something floating out in space towards them.

"Oh, no…" It was an asteroid.

She raced back to the controls and switched off the autopilot. But just as she regained control, the ship violently shook and the sirens began to blare loudly. The asteroid had collided and now the vessel was headed straight for a nearby planet. Laura struggled on guiding the ship to safety but to no avail. She was beginning to panic.

"Olimar!" she shouted over the sirens. "Olimar, help!"

The captain put on his helmet and quickly ran over to her, motioning for her step aside.

"Laura, get your suit on. Hurry!"

She didn't need to be told twice. She had been trained for situations like this, but she still couldn't help but feel scared. The space suit was quickly on her and her helmet was soon in place, with her green antennae light glowing softly.

She turned to Olimar, fear dancing in her eyes. "What's happening?"

"Looks like we're about to make a sudden landing! Hold on!"

They had reached the planet's atmosphere and were getting closer and closer to the ground. Olimar managed to steer the ship upwards a bit, but the success was short-lived. The rocket suddenly hit one of the many tree branches it was avoiding, the strength of the blow causing both space farers to wind up out cold and the cockpit to suddenly open, sending the novice flying out. With no one at the controls, the ship soon crashed into the ground. The force was enough to send the experienced pilot flying headfirst and land some distance away.

An hour passed by as Olimar was slowly beginning to come to. Luckily, no cracks were present in his helmet and his space suit was still intact. He looked around the area, relieved to see that the ship was still in one piece, albeit a few scrapes and heavy dents. But he couldn't help that something was amiss.

"Laura…"

The captain raced to the craft and peered inside.

"Laura, are you alright?" There was no answer.

"Laura!" Still no answer.

"Oh, no…" He couldn't pin a trace on her. There still was no answer from her or any other sign of her.

The younger pilot was nowhere to be found.


End file.
